High speed spindle motor for disc drive

• US 20050023907A1
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Encap Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Neal, Griffith D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,049,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/43
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/2009 Turntables, hubs and motors for disk drives; Mounting of motors in the drive means for clamping of disk to turntable G11B17/022 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/04 characterised by the material used for insulating the magnetic circuit or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/146 consisting of a generally annular yoke with salient poles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/18 Means for mounting or fastening magnetic stationary parts on to, or to, the stator structures
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/182 to stators axially facing the rotor, i.e. with axial or conical air gap
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/185 to outer stators
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/187 to inner stators
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/00 Structural association of dynamo-electric machines with electric components or with devices for shielding, monitoring or protection casings, enclosures or supports H02K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/10 Applying solid insulation to windings, stators or rotors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/12 Impregnating, heating or drying of windings, stators, rotors or machines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/14 Casings; Enclosures; Supports
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/16 Centering rotors within the stator; Balancing rotors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/16 having annular armature cores with salient poles with homopolar co-operation H02K21/20
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/22 with magnets rotating around the armatures, e.g. flywheel magnetos
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/24 with magnets axially facing the armatures, e.g. hub-type cycle dynamos
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2211/03 Machines characterised by circuit boards, e.g. pcb
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/38 around winding heads, equalising connectors, or connections thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/46 Fastening of windings on the stator or rotor structure
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/47 Air-gap windings, i.e. iron-free windings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/02 : Casings or enclosures characterised by the material thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/08 : Insulating casings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1672 : radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor H02K5/1677 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1675 : radially supporting the rotary shaft at only one end of the rotor H02K5/1677 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1677 : radially supporting the rotor around a fixed spindle; radially supporting the rotor directly
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1732 : radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor H02K5/1737 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1735 : radially supporting the rotary shaft at only one end of the rotor H02K5/1737 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 : Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/24 : specially adapted for suppression or reduction of noise or vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/083 : radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor H02K7/086, H02K7/09 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/085 : radially supporting the rotary shaft at only one end of the rotor H02K7/086, H02K7/09 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/086 : radially supporting the rotor around a fixed spindle; radially supporting the rotor directly H02K7/09 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/088 : radially supporting the rotor directly
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/09 : with magnetic bearings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/14 : Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 : Dynamoelectric machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49012 : Rotor

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a high speed spindle motor comprising a stator assembly including a stator having multiple conductors that create a plurality of magnetic fields when electrical current is conducted by the conductors and a body of a phase change material such as a thermoplastic substantially encapsulating the stator. A rotatable hub having a magnet connected thereto is in operable proximity to the stator. The high speed motor also includes a shaft, a bearing surrounding the shaft and one of the bearing or shaft being fixed to the stator assembly and the other of the bearing or shaft being fixed to the rotatable hub. Hard disc drives using the motor, and methods of developing and constructing the motor and hard disc drives are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A high speed spindle motor for a disc drive comprising:

a) a shaft;

b) a disc support member attached to the shaft and including a permanent magnet;

c) a bearing surrounding the shaft;

d) a stator; and

e) a monolithically formed body that substantially encapsulates the stator, the body configured to align the shaft, disc support member and bearing with respect to one another.

2. The high speed motor of claim 1 wherein the body surrounds the bearing.

3. The high speed motor of claim 1 wherein the bearing comprises an upper bearing and a lower bearing.

4. The high speed motor of claim 3 wherein the body substantially surrounds the upper bearing and the lower bearing.

5. The high speed motor of claim 1 wherein the shaft is fixed relative to the body.

6. The high speed motor of claim 1 wherein the shaft is freely rotatable relative to the body.

7. The high speed motor of claim 1 wherein mounting features are formed in the body to mount the high speed motor to a hard disc drive.

8. The high speed motor of claim 1 wherein an insert is substantially encapsulated within the body.

9. The high speed motor of claim 1 wherein the permanent magnet is concentrically disposed around the stator.

10. The high speed motor of claim 1 wherein the stator concentrically surrounds the permanent magnet.

11. The high speed motor of claim 1 wherein a second magnet is substantially encapsulated within the body.

12. The high speed motor of claim 1 wherein the second magnet is an enhancement magnet.

13. The high speed motor of claim 1 wherein the second magnet is part of a magnetic bearing.

14. A high speed spindle motor for a disc drive comprising:

a) a shaft;

b) a disc support member attached to the shaft;

c) a bearing disposed around the shaft;

d) a stator; and

e) a monolithically formed body that substantially encapsulates the stator, the monolithically formed body surrounding the bearings and the shaft.

15. The high speed motor of claim 14 wherein the bearing includes an upper bearing and a lower bearing.

16. The high speed motor of claim 14 wherein the body concentrically surrounds the upper bearing and the lower bearing.

17. The high speed motor of claim 14 wherein a solid insert is substantially encapsulated within the body.

18. The high speed motor of claim 14 wherein an enhancement magnet is substantially encapsulated within the body.

19. The high speed motor of claim 14 wherein part of a magnetic bearing is substantially encapsulated within the body.